Former Indian selector Sarandeep Singh feels that now the team management of Team India should start looking forward to new all-rounder and groom players like Shardul Thakur for the future as there is still a lot of uncertainties on when Hardik Pandya will be fit enough to bowl for Team India in the longer format of the game.
Shardul Thakur impressed in his only tour for Team India in whites. He emerged as one of the biggest positive prospects for the Test side during Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21. He took 7 wickets and muscled 75 runs in two Tests. He also managed a match-saving fifty for Team India in Australia. Since then many cricket pundits as experts have been vocal about the fact that selectors can use Shardul Thakur as an all-rounder in red-ball cricket.
Shardul Thakur Should Get Chance To Play As Main All-Rounder Against England: Former Selector
It is known that Team India is missing the services of a quality all-rounder, who can give much-needed stability to the line-up. After Hardik Pandya’s injury, Indian selectors have tried players like Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur. However, the aforementioned players are yet to get a long string of games to prove their worth.
In an interview, former Indian selector Sarandeep Singh said that the England series is the best option to use young players like Shardul Thakur, and Mohammed Siraj. As per him, the young players should be given a longer rope that will help in grooming them into a future star for Team India.
“There will be rotation in that series. It is the right time to blood in Siraj and give him as many games as you can. He is bowling well. If there is a long gap, he would find it tough to find the right length straightaway,” he said.
“A little flexibility is needed. You play your two spinners but if the conditions suit the pacers then play the extra seamer,” said Sarandeep Singh.
The former player also mentioned that Team India just cannot rely on just one all-rounder going ahead in the future. He feels that Indian selectors should also have a look on the all-rounders like Vijay Shankar and Shivam Dube.
“You can’t be relying only on Hardik anymore. You don’t know when he will be fit enough to bowl in all formats so someone like Shardul needs to be groomed or even Vijay Shankar or Shivam Dube are there,” Sarandeep Singh told PTI.
